Anonymous wrote:What do DCPS parents do about tuition? They move to Virginia and send their children to UVA!

Or William&Mary, VA Tech, JMU, GMU, VCU--many more opportunities in VA-hands-down!!!

Some of the flagship public universities also are less expensive than their peers. Wisconsin, Indiana and Pitt are decently priced. SUNY schools are among the cheapest state universities for OOS students. Southern universities cost less, and I've heard Alabama and USC give deep discounts or in-state tuition to strong OOS students. Check out college confidential -- there's a lot of good information about cost and how to work the angles, and a lot less attitude about prestige and whatnot (if you avoid the Ivy league threads).
And don't forget about Canada: Cheap tuition plus a strong US dollar equals perhaps the best bargain in higher ed.
FWIW, we don't come close to qualifying for aid but our kids had good grades and scores and wound up with numerous options, public and private, all in the $30k range for total cost. Our goal was to stay within striking distance of high school tuition, and we were able to do that for all our children (so far), without making compromises academically.

Anonymous wrote:If you look at less selective public schools the difference is not so great. DCTAG would cover the entire difference at Alabama, Longwood or Norfolk State, and most of the difference at Towson, Radford or Mary Washington. Plenty of schools in the country available under this plan.

This is good to know. Maybe I will have DC narrow down her choices to "reasonable" cost.